Matthew 13:53-58 - Rejected At Nazareth

⁵³ After Jesus had finished these parables, he withdrew from that place,

⁵⁴ and came into his own country, where he continued teaching the people in their synagogues, until they were amazed. "Where did he get such wisdom?" they said, "and such wondrous powers? ⁵⁵ "Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? ⁵⁶ "Are not his sisters all living among us? Where, then, did he get all these powers?" ⁵⁷ This kept them from believing in him. Wherefore Jesus said, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and among his own family." ⁵⁸ And he did no mighty works there, because of their lack of faith.

¹ Jesus left that place, and accompanied by his disciples, came into his own part of the country. ² When it came Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue; many, as they listened, were deeply impressed. "Where did he get all this?" they asked; "What is the wisdom that is given to this man, and miracles such as these that happen at his hands? ³ Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?"

⁴ So they disapproved of him. Then Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his native land and among his relatives and in his home." ⁵ And he was unable to do any miracle there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick folk and healed them. ⁶ And he wondered at their lack of faith. So he went among the neighboring villages, teaching.

¹⁶ Then he came to Nazareth where he had been brought up. and, as was his custom, he entered into the synagogue on the Sabbath Day, and stood up to read. ¹⁷ And there was handed him the roll of the prophet Isaiah; and unrolling it he found the place where it was written,

¹⁸ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me Because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim release to the prisoners, And recovery of sight to the blind; To set at liberty those that are bruised, ¹⁹ To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

²⁰ Then rolling up the papyrus, he gave it back to the attendant and sat down. ²¹ The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him, and he began to say to them, "Today is this scripture fulfilled in your hearing."

²² And they all spoke well of him, and marveled at the words of charm that fell from his lips. "Is not this the son of Joseph?" they asked.

²³ Jesus answered. "Doubtless you will quote the proverb to me, 'Physician, heal thyself!' Do also here in your own country all that we hear that you have done in Capernaum."

²⁴ "I tell you in solemn truth," he added, "that no prophet is acceptable in his own country. ²⁵ In very truth I tell you there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were closed for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; ²⁶ "yet Elijah was not sent to any one of them, but only to a widow in Zarephath in Sidon. ²⁷ "And there were many lepers in Israel in the days of the prophet Elisha, yet none of them was cleansed but only Naaman the Syrian."

²⁸ When they had heard these words, those in the synagogue were filled with fury; ²⁹ they rose, hurried him outside the town, and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, intending to cast him down headlong. ³⁰ But he, passing through the midst of them, took his departure.